


Remnants

by OrionRedde, Shyrstyne



Series: Cometverse [80]
Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:21:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27377137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrionRedde/pseuds/OrionRedde, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shyrstyne/pseuds/Shyrstyne
Summary: A lost past turns out to be not quite so lost.
Series: Cometverse [80]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1285373
Comments: 10
Kudos: 17





	1. Visage

**Author's Note:**

> another one that was started and meant to be part of a larger arc, but has been cut for time. still, i like to think i got it to a *mostly* satisfactory place in these two chapters, barring one glaring exception you'll have to forgive us for. i guess it'll be there in the event we do ever come back to this.
> 
> this was also actually supposed to be more about ventus beleive it or not, but uh. well as you'll soon see vanitas kinda took over on us. if i had the energy i'd rewrite it properly, but so it goes.

The first few times he sees them, Ventus feels like he’s going crazy.

It’s not often, thankfully, but every so often out of the corner of his eye he sees.. Something. He can never seem to get a clear view of it, always shrouded in shadow and always vanishing before he can turn his head, but he _knows_ it’s there. He knows it.

Unfortunately, at first the only other person who’s noticed them is Vanitas.

Vanitas, who is much too busy with a new kid to go chasing after something that seems to be harmless.

“I will fuck them up if they come in the house.” Vanitas had asserted when they’d discussed it, but he didn’t seem to really want to hunt down whoever or whatever they were for answers. Vanitas has always had a tendency to play things close to his chest, but it’s the first time in a long time that Ventus feels like Vanitas is hiding something from him

It’s been like this ever since Ventus had told him he wanted to figure out the lost pieces of their past. He wonders if Vanitas really is just.. Okay with leaving the past where it is. Maybe he’s right, but Ven can’t help but feel like something is missing. He wants to find it.

He can’t help but feel like these shadows are connected somehow.

-

Aqua knows their territory like the back of her own worn, scarred hands. Knows it’s wide halls, secret passages, mechanisms.. She knows it all.

So when something feels wrong, she notices.

She pauses in the middle of one long, empty hallway. Terra is visiting Riku, Ven is off with Lea. She should be the only person around.

And yet she feels a presence. She holds absolutely still, casting her gaze around without moving her head.

“Who’s there?” She calls.

_You are not… strel… litz…….._

“No, I’m not.” She answers. The words crawl up her spine with hooked claws, making her shiver. “Who are you?”

_No…_

She catches the floating wisps of clinging Darkness out of the corner of her eye, the hints of red claws that are so so familiar (too familiar)… And then it’s gone. Her posture relaxes from the steel readiness as the goose bumps along her arm recede.

She recalls an old memory, a story her Master used to tell about fallen Keyblade Wielders. One she had thought about often after her return to the world of light but refused to delve into more for fear of what she might find.

She heads for the library.

-

Isa knows they’re being followed. He doubts Vanitas is oblivious to it, but the younger man does not seem bothered. He casts his gaze around the busy street tensely anyway, searching for any sign of their pursuer without making it obvious.

“Don’t bother.” Vanitas notices. “You won’t see them if they don’t want you to.”

“You know who they are?” Isa asks, but Vanitas shrugs.

“Maybe.”

“Maybe?”

Vanitas pauses at length, considering his words. Despite the weight of being watched still weighing on the back of Isa’s neck he forces himself to be patient.

“They feel familiar.” He answers finally. “I don’t know why.”

Isa considers that, and the unsaid words between what Vanitas has spoken aloud.

“You think they might be from your lost past.”

“Maybe.” Vanitas says, clearly not enthused by the thought. Isa pats his shoulder. How cruel, he thinks, to have the possibility of answers only after having given up on them.

“We’re all here for you if so.” He says. Vanitas nods gratefully.

It’s all he can offer.

-

It’s the middle of the night.

Despite the late hour, when the shadows swirl together to coalesce into a solid form, it takes only seconds for Riku to lurch from their bed and trap it under sharp claws, eyes wide and breathing heavily at the intrusion. Sora and Kairi sit up more slowly, blinking in confusion.

The shadowed being does not react, does not show fear, only looks unblinkingly up at Riku with shining yellow eyes.

“What do you want?” Riku rasps, not even bothering to ask who this might be. To him, it does not matter.

_Traces of….. Union………._

The whisper is faint, but clearly heard amongst those in the room.

“Union?” Kairi asks. Sora shrugs. The glowing eyes turn toward Sora.

_You…… no. close… not……. Enough……._

“Me?” Sora points to himself, confused.

_Find…. Union….. Bring…… Together…._

“Who are we supposed to find?”

_Meet… the fated place……..._

“Who are you?” Riku finally asks, growling. This has gone on too long already as far as he’s concerned.

_Name…? My…… na………… Eph…………._

And then it sinks into the floor, disappearing. The shadows disperse, and the three are left alone in the room.

“What was that?” Sora asks.

None of them know.

-

“The Keyblade Graveyard.” Myde says. “That’s what Old CrankBastard called it. Fated This, and Destined that. Probably got it from a book or something.”

“It does seem to keep being relevant.” Aqua says, stirring her cider idly. Comet pops an extra lemon on the edge of her glass, and Aqua smiles in thanks.

“The question is why.” Lea says, from his position seated on the countertop. “And why now?”

“And who they are trying to gather.” Isa adds. “They seem drawn to certain people, the rest of our sightings seem almost.. Coincidental.”

“Agreed.” Riku nods. “Ventus, you saw them first, right?”

“Actually,” Vanitas interrupts. “I think I did, though I didn’t really think much of it at the time. It was a few years ago. I thought it might have been an errant heartless, but it stayed hidden in the shadows before it disappeared. Never saw it again until all this now.”

“They definitely seem focused on me and Van, though.” Ven nods. “And I think there’s more than one. Yours mentioned a name, Aqua?”

She nods.

“Strel-something I believe. I’m not sure if it’s complete, they seem to have difficulty speaking.”

No one notices Vanitas stiffen in his seat.

“Ours was called Eph something.” Sora adds. “We tried to ask them some questions, but they vanished before we could get far.”

Vanitas stands from his seat and starts to pace, rubbing his temple.

“Van, you okay?” Comet asks, stepping towards him. He shakes his head sharply, turns, and then heads upstairs without another word.

“I’ll check on him.” Comet says, and heads up, leaving the rest of the assembled group to mill about the bar and continue discussing the strange occurrences by themselves.

They find him on the floor of the den, sitting with Senna and Naminé, who had decided to keep Senna company while the rest were busy.

Senna and Naminé are drawing. Vanitas watches with the sort of intentness that tells Comet his mind is elsewhere. They sit next to him gently, taking care not to startle or disturb anybody.

“You okay?” They ask. He shrugs. “What’s wrong?”

He’s quiet for a long moment, but Comet has learned nothing but patience when dealing with their troubled children, and waits.

“Memories, I think.” He says hesitantly. They both see the tip of Naminé’s pencil twitch, but she doesn’t turn her attention away from Senna, so they both politely ignore it.

“Isa said you thought these things might be something from your past.” Comet observes. Vanitas sighs.

“Maybe. I don’t know. The names though… They’re on the tip of my tongue.”

“So maybe if we try to jog your memory a bit-” Comet starts, but Vanitas scowls.

“I don’t _want_ to remember. I don’t want _any_ of this to be important!” He stands, and starts to pace. Naminé and Senna are both openly watching now, and Comet remains seated. “I let all of this go when I let Ventus go, when I accepted that we were never going to be whole again and the person we were was dead. So why won’t it let _me_ go?!” His hands curl into fists as he stalks from one end of the room to the other.

Senna pulls her knees to her chest, curling in on herself, and Vanitas forces himself to shove down the irritation, relax just a bit. No matter how frustrated and angry he feels, he cannot let himself scare her further.

Naminé sets her pencil down, sitting up. Vanitas looks her way, knowing her subtle signs of having something to say.

“Naminé?” He asks when she doesn’t speak. She gnaws on her lip.

“I might have something.. But you might not like it.”

“Tell me.” He says. Somehow none of it is quite so frightening when Naminé is at the helm.

“Okay.” She nods. “But.. well it might just be easier to show you.”

And then, much to his surprise, she opens a portal.

“I didn’t know you could still do that.” He says. She smiles one of her secret smiles.

“I have to keep some things to myself.”

Vanitas takes a step forward, but pauses when Senna stands, scared but willing to follow. He stoops to her level.

“It’s dangerous in portals like these, without the right protection. I need you to stay here, okay?”

She points at him, a clear ‘what about you?’

“I’m made of Darkness, I’ll be fine. I’ll explain what that means when I get back.”

She regards him seriously for a long moment and then sits, returning to the little drawing she’d be working on when he’d come in, clearly accepting his answer. He looks up at Comet.

“I’ll be back soon.” _Keep an eye on her for me?_

“Of course.” Comet nods with a smile. _Like I’d do anything else._

And with that Vanitas follows Naminé through the portal.

He can feel the twisting dark around them, formless and yet cloying, still comfortable and safe to him despite his long time spent in the light. The steps take them further and further into the depths, places even he hasn’t been much. Far away from home.

They step out, onto a dark world populated only by the tiniest flitting bits of blue and purple glittering lights. He gives only a cursory glance around, checking for dangers, but Naminé gives it no mind, stepping out into the clearing.

“Hello?” She calls. “I brought a friend.”

Vanitas feels the creature in the shadows before he truly sees it, but when he sees it the familiar sensation hits him in force. His head hurts with the force of it, but he steels himself and doesn’t react beyond a subtle flinch in his eyes.

_You….. came……….._

“I did.” Naminé says. “Are you looking for someone?”

 _U… nion……._ The face turns to Vanitas specifically, and it reaches out a single hand almost hesitantly. _Ven…._

Vanitas has to react now, the pounding behind his eyes growing to a painful drumbeat in time with his heart. He presses one hand to his temple with a wince. Naminé glances over to him with sympathy and pauses, waiting for a signal from him. He can feel her magic at the edges of his senses, feather light touch against his fragmented memories. He wonders if she’s doing the same for the shadow creature.

She’s waiting for permission, he realises. His eyes find hers, seeking his own confirmation. Is _she_ okay with this? She nods, and he nods back.

“Strelitzia?” She asks, turning to face the dark creature.

 _No. Dead….. Gone…….._ The voice is full of regret, and the shadow curls in on itself in sorrow. _Poor…… Laur……….._

“Lauriam.” Vanitas says. He doesn’t know where it came from, but something deep inside knows it. Pink- pink pink pink. Roses. Or were they cherry blossoms? He feels Naminé’s magic take it and hold it there but she doesn’t pull at it yet, waiting again for his consent. He nods.

 _Lauriam….._ The shadow weeps. _Still…… hoping………._

Naminé flinches, and Vanitas looks over to her. She shakes her head.

“Later.” She whispers. “I’ll tell you about Marluxia. Who else was there?”

The magic tugs now, and he follows it. For all he’s angry at the past he’d let go coming back to haunt them… some part of him _does_ want to know. Wants to find the lost bits of their past.

Morbid curiosity perhaps.

Yellow.

“Elrena. Lauriam’s friend.” Naminé controls her wince better this time, but he can still see it. He reaches out to touch her arm, trying to help but not sure how. She gives him a watery smile.

 _El… first…… to go….._ The shadow whispers. _Couldn’t…….. Wait…._

“Wait for what?” Naminé asks gently. Her magic swirls around them, the bubbles so thick they’re more like waves to his senses, though none of them are sight.

The creature screeches. It does not know.

_All…… wrong….._

“What was supposed to happen?” Vanitas asks this time. He’s not sure why.

_Wait…. Return……._

Naminé’s brows furrow and he can feel the magic digging, but the answers are unclear.

 _Should…. Have……_ It’s voice croaks unsteadily. _Listened………._

Naminé digs a little harder, only to soften immediately at what she finds.

“Brain wanted to change things?”

 _Yes._ It’s the most solid answer they’ve gotten out of the creature.

“Brain.” Vanitas remembers a feather in a hat and the feeling of someone infuriatingly charming. Nothing specific. “The virus.”

 _Should…….. Have…._ The creature says again.

“You wouldn’t let him, and it all fell apart.” Naminé whispers. The creature nods.

_Sorry…. So sorry……_

Something slots into place.

“Ephemera.” He says, stepping forward. He’s let go of Naminé, and she doesn’t follow him. The darkling looks up, and he sees tears made of darkness rolling down its inky face. “We were wrong. It’s okay.”

 _Gone…._ It weeps. _All gone……._

“You’re still here.” Naminé says. “Maybe.. We can help. Maybe they’re not gone completely.”

The darkling shudders and curls up into a ball.

_I’m…… ..A…..lone……_

Vanitas kneels in front of him. He wishes Ven were here, but for this one moment he takes Ven’s place. Ephemera doesn’t understand what had been done to them yet. He reaches out.

“No, you’re not.”


	2. Into The Dark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welp here we are, the last chapter before the end. only one left after this.

Ephemera stays in the rafters, mostly.

Vanitas tries to talk him down sometimes, but he doesn’t try very hard if he’s being honest with himself. He recognizes the need to stay where one feels comfortable- had dealt with it often enough himself. He only tries because it makes Lea nervous having something hovering over his head like that.

Senna takes an instant liking to the darkling, surprisingly enough. More than once he comes home to find them in the den with the blinds pulled shut and the two working silently on some little project or other while her Unversed lounges across the back of the couch. They all seemed happy with this arrangement, and so he leaves them to it, leaving the room barely light enough to see in… Though he does make sure Senna isn’t straining herself. She’s only got one eye left after all.

Vanitas remembers his first days in the light, how it had burned. He’s still sensitive to it, though thankfully it’s not so painful these days. He can only imagine it’s similar enough for Ephemera. He lets the darkling have his dark spaces, shows him some old ones he doesn’t use anymore even.

Ven visits often now, though half the time he chickens out and bails before seeing Ephemera. Vanitas isn't sure what his hangup is this time, the longer they’re apart the more foreign his thought process becomes, but he leaves it be. He’s got enough on his plate as it is, and he figures Ven will tell him eventually.

Things on his plate trying to find lost friends.

It was still… murky, at best, the things he remembered, but between Ephemera and Naminé the pieces were slowly sliding back into place. He doesn’t like what he’s finding. He wonders if it would go faster if Ven were there too, but until Ven gets over himself Vanitas figures there’s no sense in wasting time ruminating about it.

He steps into the dark realms with a scowl late one afternoon, after Naminé had finally told him the full story of what had been done to her.

“Gonna kick both your asses when I find you.” He grumbles. He only kind of means it though. He’s more aware than anyone what trauma and memory loss will do to a person, nevermind outside manipulation. That being said, if he can make amends with Ventus and the rest, Lauriam and Elrena can certainly make an apology or twelve to Naminé.

Whether Naminé forgave them or not was her choice and her choice alone, but the apology would happen if Vanitas had anything to say about it.

Ephemera seemed certain that Lauriam and Elrena were like him, something that had taken some doing to make sense. They’d survived long enough to become nobodies, how had they become Darklings as well? But Ephemera _was_ certain though, and really they had no better leads to go on. If nothing else Skuld was still out there.

He… misses Skuld. And Brain. His Chirithy. Now that their memories are no longer shrouded there's gaping hole in him where they had once been. The original Ventus had liked Ephemera, but he’d been much closer to Skuld than the rest, with Brain close behind. It hurts a little, now that he’s starting to remember them properly. He wonders if Ventus does too, but his other half seems uncharacteristically unwilling to talk about it.

He’d asked Ephemera, when it seemed like Brain wasn’t included in those they were searching for, and the Darkling had struggled to answer, but tried his best.

“Left….” He’d rasped. “Wanted…. A different….. Future….”

“When did he leave?” Vanitas had asked, something uncomfortable in his throat.

“After… war.” Well duh. “Before… the wait…..”

“He never turned.” Vanitas intuited. “You don’t know what happened to him.”

Ephemera had shaken his head, and then returned to the little crayon drawing he’d been working on alongside Senna. There were seven little figures and Vanitas didn’t care to look too closely at who they might be.

He had a suspicion, and went to Naminé. She can only do so much, but it feeds his suspicion enough that his next stop is the land of departure.

“Do you have records of the keepers of this place?” He’d asked Aqua in lieu of greeting. She’d huffed at his rudeness but she’d taken him to the records hall and left him to it.

Hours later found him combing through the very back sections of the stacks, and he’d found exactly what he’d been looking for.

_Founder, Brain Remedium. Age of New Lights_

And that was all. Time had eroded what little records there were, he supposed, but it was all the confirmation he needed. 

Brain was long gone.

Vanitas tilts his head back to rest against the dusty bookshelves, filled with a grief he doesn’t even truly understand for a boy he only barely remembers. Something rustles in the wide empty halls, disturbed, but he pays it no mind. Probably Aqua doing some research of her own or something. He wonders if Ephemera knows what Brain leaving so long ago means. He doesn’t know how to tell him if not. He doesn’t even know if he should tell Ventus.

He chooses not to, at least for now, moving on to finding the ones who might still be around, if in a different form. It’s better than nothing.

This is of course assuming he can find them at all, he knows as he treks through the empty roads that scatter the dark worlds. He’s in no danger from the heartless or other horrors that wander this place.. But he _is_ in danger of simply not getting back up again, falling to an eternal sleep not unlike Ventus had once done. It makes him sleepy, how welcoming this place is to him even now, but he knows better than to rest here.

So he walks. He has no real direction in mind. Luck has been Sora’s guiding key for so long, he figures maybe it will serve him for once too.

Something scitters on the edge of his senses, putting him on alert. It’s not a heartless, but those aren’t the only things in the dark margins.

Idle scrapings is all there is however, and once more he returns home empty handed. Comet greets him like they always do with a warm welcome home, and he heads upstairs to greet Senna and Ephemera in turn.

He doesn’t think Roxas and Xion are home, so he’s surprised when there’s a third body in the room. Ven glances up from where he’s crouched with Ephemera, and Vanitas feels an old trepidation he almost doesn’t recognize anymore from him.

“I want to come, next time.” Ven says, not waiting for anything else. It’s more Vanitas’ style than his, but Vanitas doesn’t mind. He just nods, dropping his pack next to the door to be sorted later. He sits next to Ephemera.

“Do you..” Vanitas starts, but then falters. He huffs, not sure what he’s really trying to ask.

“I don’t remember.” Ven answers anyway, somehow knowing. “I don’t remember anything.” His voice grows soft at the end, regret flashing across his features.

Senna looks up from her drawing and reaches up to pat his arm twice before returning to her paper. Ven smiles, but it’s a watery thing.

“I’m sorry. I really wish I could. What kind of friend would forget like that?”

“I didn’t either, until Naminé dug into it.” Vanitas points out. “You could-”

“I did.” Ven interrupts. His voice shakes. “There’s nothing there.”

It must hurt, Vanitas realises, to find the thing you wanted most… Was something you would never be able to find.

He’s familiar with the feeling.

Ephemera puts one clawed hand over Ventus’.

“.not…. fault….”

Ven’s eyes well with tears and he surges forward, wrapping the Darkling in a tight hug. 

When he pulls back, something about the Darkling seems just a touch softer. Vanitas leans in, curious.

“Van?” Ventus asks, rubbing at his cheeks with the palm of his hand, still flushed. Ephemera tilts his head.

“His hair is turning white again.”

“White?” Ven leans back, and Vanitas belatedly remembers that hair turning white didn’t have the best history to this group.

“It was white before.” Vanitas says. “But not as… like this.” He gestures to the ragged clothing and pitch dark skin.

“Huh.” Ven hums. “Maybe you’re getting better?” He looks back at the Darkling in question.

“Hmmm.” Ephemera hums, but doesn’t say anything else. He sways from one side to the other, eyes slowly slipping closed. They don’t glow quite so brightly these days either, Vanitas thinks.

“Maybe…” Ven considers, looking down at his hands. “He’s like this because he’s been in the dark too long, right? Maybe it’s because of my light, it’s cancelling it out a little bit?”

Vanitas frowns. He doesn’t like that for some reason.

“Even sunlight hurts him though. Why would yours be different?”

“Know you.” Ephemera says, glowing golden eyes blinking open. “Wouldn’t…. Hurt….. Friend.”

“I should have come sooner.” Ven laments. “But if that’s the case.. I have to stay. You deserve to be in balance, have a life again.”

Vanitas knows it’s normal, that most people aren’t built to be made of darkness, but something about this stings. He shakes it off; he’s an adult now with a kid to set an example for, he knows better than to take it personally these days.

Mostly. He’ll admit to himself that he’s jealous that Ven can help but he can’t. Maybe it’s only fair, after Vanitas had unwittingly stolen even the fragments of Ven’s past from him.

“Would some of the other lights have the same effect?” Vanitas asks, pushing that jealousy down. “Kairi, Aqua.. some of the other Princesses maybe.”

Ephemera shrugs. Ven chews on his lip in thought.

“Maybe. I don’t want to risk hurting him though. He did say it was because we knew each other, the others… never got to meet him before.” Ven points out.

“We knew some of the princesses.” The words are out of his mouth before Vanitas thinks about them, and then his brow furrows. He knows this, but he doesn’t remember it. Something to bring up to Naminé next he sees her. “Kind of. I think?”

Ephemera nods again.

“We’ll consider it then, but first let's see if this helps.” Ven nods. “You still looking for the others?”

“Yeah.”

-

Funnily enough, it’s Sora who provides his next lead.

They’re hanging out, laying on top of each other in the den while Sora’s partners help Comet make dinner. Sora prattles on about nothing, as he usually does, something that only goes up in magnitude when Senna joins them, curling up against the soft fur of Vanitas’ side. Senna is quiet, but curious, and once comfortable starts asking all sorts of questions.

Sora is friendly and outgoing, and more than happy to oblige.

Vanitas isn’t sure how, he’d zoned out at some point, but Sora ends up recounting some of the cooler parts of his last battles against Xehanort. He’d resolutely avoided talking about it for years, but eventually he’d gotten to the point he could at least recount details of floating cities and child-friendly versions of his battles.

There is one part that makes Vanitas perk up.

“Y’know, I kinda wish I’d been able to see more of that place. It was made of Xehanort's memories but it felt… real. You could see the bits of history in the corners, and I would’ve loved to be able to explore more.”

Vanitas can’t see what Senna asks with her lounging against his side, but Sora can and he trusts his brother to know what not to answer.

“Hmmm, I dunno. Little things mostly, like plates being set out for dinner, big inscriptions over gates, fountains in a marketplace… oh and this big mural!”

Mural?

Senna must have asked the same thing, because Sora answers exactly that.

“I didn’t get to look at it long, I was too busy fighting Xehanort’s minions, but I think it might have showed a bit of the city's history. I think there might have been some kind of disaster at some point? Which makes sense, considering the ruins we saw underneath the city.”

Something twigs in Vanitas’ mind.

“Sora.” He asks. “What was this place called again?”

“Hm? Uhhh Xehanort called it.. Scala ad Caelum.” Sora answers. Vanitas frowns. That didn’t make anything trigger in his mind like he’d hoped. “Why?”

“Something about it… Doesn’t matter, it wasn’t what I thought.”

“I think it had another name, if it helps.” Sora shifts, shoving his nose into Vanitas’ ears, which Vanitas’ bats away as he rolls his eyes. “I think, anyway. It was just a mural, and I didn’t get to read any of the little writing.”

“Just tell me doofus.” Vanitas grumps. “And stop moving, you’re gonna disturb Senna.”

Senna baps his flank with one tiny hand, clearly indicating she knew very well when she was being used as an excuse. He pokes his tongue out and doesn’t take it back.

“Day… Day something. Dayshift Town? No-” Sora hums, trying to remember something he’d only read once years ago in the middle of a high stress situation. “Daybreak Town?”

The links snap into place.

-

_Finding_ Scala Ad Caelum was a different matter.

By all accounts, his only hint that it existed at all was because it had been in Xehanort’s memories, but it didn’t tell them where or how to get there. It had almost no resemblance to any place anyone had been. It was like chasing a ghost- all in the name of a hint of a lead that could very well end up going nowhere.

“Why are you searching for this place anyway?” Ven asks. They’re in Vanitas’ old room, Van perched on the bed running a brush through Senna’s hair while Ven and Ephemera play some old version of pick-up-sticks on the floor.

His skin is more a washed out gray than pitch dark now, and his claws have dulled to only mild points, which are both hopefully good signs. His speech has gotten clearer too, though it’s obviously still difficult.

“If Scala used to be Daybreak, then maybe the others wound up there eventually. It was home, after all, even if it’s changed.”

“I guess that makes sense.” Ven hums, picking up two sticks and waiting as Ephemera considers the pile. “Kinda how I feel about the Land of Departure. Did you know apparently I was the one who picked it after we… after my heart fell asleep in Sora?”

“After we fought.” Vanitas nods. He’s not afraid to acknowledge that particularly dark time in their history. “I guess it was the only home you remembered.”

He never would have gone back to the Badlands himself, but he was aware his experience with home at that point was… very different from Ventus’.

Ven’s phone chirps out a jingle, and though Ephemera jumps, he doesn’t vanish into the rafters completely this time. Progress.

“Hey Aqua.” Ven answers. “What’s up?”

“Just checking in.” Aqua waves. “How’s it going with Ephemera?”

“We’re making progress I think. You wanna say hi?” He looks up at Ephemera, holding up the phone so he can see the screen. Aqua gives a little wave, and Ephemera leans in close, poking now blunted fingers at the screen, something thoroughly capturing his attention. Senna hops down from the bed to sit next to him, Vanitas done with her hair. He stays where he is, laying back on the covers.

“Uh…” Aqua doesn’t really know what to make of it, and Ven draws the phone back.

“I don’t think he’s quite used to some stuff yet.” Ven shrugs. “Or maybe he’s poking at the massive bags under your eyes. Have you been sleeping?”

“It’s just been the last couple nights. I swear I keep hearing things but I haven’t been able to find the source yet. Terra thinks we might have a pest problem.” She dismisses his concern.

“Eesh. Glad I’m out here then. At least we know it’s not Ephemera this time.” Ven tries to joke.

Ephemera points to himself, confused, but Ventus doesn’t notice. Senna remembers the big family meeting though, or at least what she had been told of it, and tells him in simple signs.

“You were at Departure. Scared Aqua.”

Ephemera shakes his head, confused.

“Where?”

“The Land of Departure.” Vanitas provides, having been paying attention. “Aqua said you mentioned Strelitzia.”

Ephemera makes a questioning noise.

“Not.. me.”

Vanitas sits up, the gears in his brain turning.

“That wasn’t you?”

Ephemera shakes his head again. Several things link in Vanitas’ head at once. He turns toward Ven still holding the phone.

“Aqua, I don’t think you have a rat problem.”

-

He ends up staking out the castle for nearly a week.

It’s kind of weird, when he thinks about it, that he’s the one in the Land of Departure and Ventus is in Comet’s home with Senna and Ephemera. Ventus had offered to come along, and he’s sure Senna wouldn’t have minded, but he hadn’t wanted Ephemera travelling too much. So they wait at home while he tries to hunt down the remnant of a friend.

The most frustrating part is that he hears it, just on the edge of his senses, fairly frequently. He just can’t _catch_ it.

He sinks into the shadows, travelling along the narrow spaces a physical body can’t quite enter. He thinks he gets closer this way, but whoever it is slips through his grasp again and again.

Ventus calls him eventually.

“I can feel your frustration from here. So can everyone else. Not going well?”

“Hn.” Vanitas grunts, though now he’s ticked at himself too for not shielding properly. “Not really. I know there’s at least one here, but they won’t sit still long enough for me to catch them.”

“You know you catch more flies with honey than dirt.” Comet’s voice comes from off-screen. “Or.. however that saying goes.”

“They’ve got a point. Any idea who it is?”

“Lauriam if I had to guess.” Vanitas answers. “Aqua mentioned Strelitzia and I keep smelling flowers.”

“Could just be the fact that it’s spring.” Ventus points out. “But you have a point. What would draw them out, do you think?”

“Flowers.” Senna signs, pulling herself into frame so Vanitas can see her too, drawing everyone’s attention to her. Vanitas ponders the suggestion.

“It’s a good idea, but there’s already plenty around the mountain, how would we make them a target?”

Senna lifts her hands, then frowns, clearly not having the word for what she wants to say. She drops out of frame, and Vanitas can hear the rustle of paper on the other end.

“If you put some inside the castle they’d stand out more.” Ventus posits. “Aqua and Terra aren’t really known for doing like… bouquets or vases or anything like that.”

“Possible.” Vanitas nods. “Maybe in the library, that’s where I’ve heard them the most lately.”

Senna’s head pops back into the camera, and she holds up her paper.

It’s a drawing of a strelitzia- the flower.

Oh.

How did he not think of that? Darklings were driven by emotion more than thought, it was entirely possible they might not be able to tell the difference.

“That’s perfect.” He grins at her, and she gives a shy smile, pleased. “Thanks, kid. I’ll have to travel off-world to get some but it shouldn’t take long. I think this might just work.”

-

It works better than he could have possibly even hoped.

He leaves the strelitzia flowers in a vase in the library and settles in to wait. He doesn’t have to wait long though, not even an hour passes before the shadows shift and a figure creeps up to the open area in the center of the room.

_“S… trel….”_ It whispers, hope and grief in it’s barely there voice. Vanitas steps out of the shadows.

“Lauriam.”

The darkling looks up, hunched as it is, and doesn’t run.

_“Ven… tus…”_

“.. Close enough.” He’ll work on correcting him later. “Come with me. I know where Ephemera is.”

Lauriam hesitates.

_“S… trelitz….”_

“...I don’t know.” Vanitas admits. “But if you come with me and let us help you, we’ll see if we can’t find out what happened to her.”

This seems acceptable to the Darkling, or so Vanitas thinks, but then it vanishes into the shadows and Vanitas curses.

“Wait- shit.” He reaches out with both his hand and his own dark, but neither are fast enough and the darkling is gone. He huffs in frustration.

A moment later however the shadows shift again, and this time two darklings step out. Vanitas blinks.

“Oh.” He whispers. Of course. The two always were a pair after all.

“Hello, Elrena.”

-

He calls to warn Naminé before he arrives. He fully expects her to leave and doesn’t blame her for it at all. He knows enough about what Marluxia and Larxene did to her to know there is no forgiveness for that. He won’t expect it from her.

Which is why he’s surprised when he arrives home with darklings in tow only to find Naminé standing in the doorway, waiting for him.

She stares them over, long and slow, first Lauriam, and then Elrena. They do not shrink away or move toward her, or really react in any way at all. Vanitas isn’t sure if they even recognize her or understand what’s happening.

Naminé turns away.

“Come on.” She says. Vanitas moves forward to walk at her side.

“You sure?” He asks.

“I’m sure.” She nods. “They can’t apologize like this, and besides…”

She turns her head to smile at him, the one that’s far less innocuous than it appears.

“Like Kaze says. Kill them with kindness.”

-

“I wonder how they ended up like this.” Ventus says as he watches all three darklings sleep on the bundle of blankets and pillows. “Their nobodies were in Castle Oblivion right? That’s what Naminé said.”

“Yeah. I’m not really sure how it works. Ephemera clearly has both heart and body, just warped, but these two are closer to true heartless.”

Ventus frowns. Ephemera has been making great strides, looking more human by the day. They’re not sure if the same effect will happen with Lauriam and Elrena. Comet, Lea, and Isa are putting up with the intrusions like champs, but having what are essentially heartless in the house is making Comet _very_ nervous, he can tell.

“Sora defeated their nobodies though, so they should have returned to them, right?” Ventus taps a pencil to his lips, thinking hard. Vanitas shrugs.

“Maybe. Hopefully. I can’t beat an apology out of them until they’re cognizant enough to know that they did something wrong.”

Ventus sighs sadly.

“Yeah.” He shakes his head. “Just one left, right?”

“Should be.” Vanitas nods. “These three here, and Brain is… long gone, and I doubt Strelitzia is still around even if she did survive the war, so that just leaves Skuld.”

Ventus bites his lip.

“Do you… Nevermind.”

Vanitas squints.

“Do I what?”

“Remember in the other universe? That cat thing.”

“Chirithy.” Vanitas answers. “What about it.”

“They talked about _our_ Chirithy. Like they knew they existed in our universe too somehow. Do you think..”

“No.” Vanitas replies shortly, too quickly, and this time it’s Ventus’ turn to squint.

“You remember, don’t you?”

Vanitas screws up his mouth like something tastes bad.

“And? You know I’ve been working with Naminé over our memories.”

“Vanitas, tell me.” Ventus’ pleading look makes something in Vanitas’ gut twist unpleasantly.

“I don’t remember all of it yet.” He admits. “But I don’t think they lived. I don’t think any of them did.”

“Oh.” Ventus slumps back.

“The book was falling apart. Being invaded.” Ephemera sits up, yellow eyes aware and clearly having been listening. “We were supposed to stay, but we’d changed, warped with the book. Our Chirithy’s.. Made sure we escaped.”

“Book?” Ventus whispers, but Ephemera doesn’t elaborate, gaze drifting as his attention wanders. He’s much more lucid now, but he’s still not quite all there yet.

Vanitas looks down. He remembers only bits, but that feels right.

That empty tether still waving in that unseen wind.

-

It’s months before any of them appear remotely human again. Arrangements are made as they become more aware. Vanitas doesn’t want them anywhere near Senna, but keeping them all in one place makes things easier. Ventus had trusted them once, as children, but as an adult who knows what they had once done to a friend, Vanitas cannot take that chance. Not until they had proven themselves.

The regret they show as they become more aware is the only thing that keeps him from taking them to task immediately.

Naminé agrees to meet them on her own terms.

“I don’t forgive you.” She says, and Vanitas is proud of how tall she stands. Her voice does not shake as she stares down her once-tormentors. “You hurt me in ways I will be recovering from for the rest of my life.”

Elrena purses her lips but says nothing. Lauriam bows his head, accepting her judgement.

“I know.” He says. “There is nothing that can truly amend such actions.”

“What do you want?” Elrena asks, still brusque even with her humanity. “Leave you alone? Give you money? Gifts? Just tell us.”

“You think you can make this better with such things?” Naminé’s gaze grows even harder, and Vanitas isn’t very impressed either.

“Of course not.” Elrena snorts. “Lauri already stated the obvious. Nothing is going to change what happened. I’m asking how we should try anyway.”

“I never want to see you again.” Naminé says. “I want a letter, in writing, of your apologies.”

“Done.” Lauriam nods.

They part ways. Later Vanitas delivers the letter.

Naminé burns it without reading it.

She looks lighter than he’s ever seen her.

-

He can’t find Skuld.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> obviously we didn't manage to wrap _everything_ up, i feel bad about leaving skuld missing but i just couldn't work a multi-arc plotline down into one chapter. it was a whole thing with luxu and armies of darklings and the finale would've showcased both everyone's personal growth and their abilities (ideally anyway. obviously things have a tendency to change once you actually start writing them lol)
> 
> as it stands however, it's a little more open ended, life goes on in this little corner of the universe, and sometimes life doesn't tie itself up in nice neat little ways. i suppose that's appropriate in its own way. honestly i think my favourite part to come out of this is finally managing to tie up Namine's arc, which has kind of been left hanging for a very long time now. she has a tendency to slip under the radar.
> 
> i hope you guys enjoyed, next one is our swan song to call goodnight to this au.

**Author's Note:**

> i had it all plotted out at one point, how the khux kids either stayed or left and how they ended up where they are now. most of it's a little... fuzzy now though lol.


End file.
